Comments on: How to Build a Baking Pantry, Part I: Ingredients (Beginner)

By: Natalie

Natalie — Thu, 12 May 2011 14:02:55 +0000

This list was really helpful to me. Thanks so much! I am 13 and I love to bake, but I don’t really know how to stock my pantry. Thanks again!

By: Angela

Angela — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:24:10 +0000

I like you tips because I’m new at baking and want to learn a whole lot more

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 02:21:58 +0000

Hi Angela, Dry ingredients have a really long shelf life as long as they aren’t kept at super warm temperatures. When I was building up my pantry, I would just buy as I needed things for recipes and over time I built up quite a collection of ingredients!

By: Angela

Angela — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 11:14:55 +0000

What is the shelf life on these ingredients? Should I just wait until I need to buy the stuff I don’t normally use? I plan on doing alot more baking due to reading your blog. So should I just pick up things as I see them while shopping or wait until the need arises?

By: Mendel Potok

Mendel Potok — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:40:47 +0000

I love the list you put up here! Do any of you have any suggestions for kitchen utensils I need and should avoid? I’m trying to put my dream kitchen together and walking through Bed Bath and Beyond was intimidating! Thanks y’all!

By: Ro's Baking Adventure

Ro's Baking Adventure — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 06:37:03 +0000

I found this very helpful as someone who is just learning how. will book mark for sure thanks for sharing

By: The Faithful Foodie

The Faithful Foodie — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:46:56 +0000

Thanks for sharing this. It inspires me to get my baking act together!

By: Tracey

Tracey — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:00:26 +0000

Great lists for the baking ingredients! You have some really great, thoughtful posts over here. I love that you put so much effort into helping others.

By: Deborah

Deborah — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 02:17:21 +0000

A tip regarding sugars: Only buy products that are labeled “pure cane sugar.” If not, you may get a beet sugar product, which won’t work the same way in cooking/baking. Here’s a very useful article: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1999/03/31/FD91867.DTL

Love the pantry-post idea, thanks!

By: Donna @ WayMoreHomemade

Donna @ WayMoreHomemade — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:43:46 +0000

I love “Rosemaryandthegoat”‘s suggestion of a rolling cart… may use that when I build my new pantry.

I think ou covered the list pretty well. I keep dark brown sugar, and orange extract that I use a lot. The one comment that I would make is on something like baking powder, it needs to be replace periodically if not used because it does have a shelf life.

Great post.

By: Ashley

Ashley — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:37:06 +0000

Wow I’m jealous! I wish I had room for such an awesome baking pantry like this. One day. =)

By: Rosemaryandthegoat

Rosemaryandthegoat — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:57:09 +0000

I have a tip. I have been catering for 20 years and I have a walkin pantry in my house. I have this rubbermaid cart that I can pull out that has almost everything I need for basic baking, it has large tupperware containers of flour, plain and self-rising, brown sugar, powdered sugar, granuated sugar, baking powder and soda, salt, a few kinds, food coloring, syrups, cornmeals etc. So I can wheel that out and have most of my ingredients readily accessible in one trip. (I don’t have to load my arms up like Rachel does ) I also have my spices on my door in alphabetical order and more spices on turn arounds on shelves. I also lined my shelves with some left over vinyl floor (that I no longer have) and it is easy to wash. I love being organized.

By: Joy

Joy — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:37:24 +0000

Powdered sugar & confectioner’s sugar are identical. They both have around 3% cornstarch to prevent clumping. The degree of X simply relates to how fine the grain is.

http://www.bonappetit.com/tipstools/ingredients/2008/04/powdered_sugar

http://www.ochef.com/663.htm

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:38:12 +0000

Thank you all for the great suggestions! Some of them are already slated for the “advanced” list, and I have updated this list with the others. Awesome feedback!

By: CheapAppetite

CheapAppetite — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:28:57 +0000

You are so well organized. This post is really a must read for novice baker. Great job:)

By: Divina

Divina — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:14:46 +0000

Thanks for making the list.

By: Jane

Jane — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:58:52 +0000

Besides everything everyone mentioned above, I also always have on hand a variety of nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds etc. — I keep them in fridge or freezer) and sweetened, shredded coconut (also in fridge or freezer). I also typically have white chocolate on hand, and a block of bittersweet (as opposed to chips, which I try to always have on hand too). I keep a variety of extracts, and a number of gel and paste food colorings as well. I keep several flours on hand (bread flour, wheat flour, white bleached & unbleached, cake flour, and White Lily brand).
Boy, us bakers sure have a lot of stuff. : 0

By: Justine

Justine — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 23:18:14 +0000

How about some quick or rolled oats for cookies, crisps, etc.?

By: Erin

Erin — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 22:29:52 +0000

instant yeast – in the freezer! so many easy-peasy bread recipes are out there but people are afraid of yeast.

By: BAKING is my ZeN

BAKING is my ZeN — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:17:56 +0000

There are a few more ingredients that are a must have in my pantry…
1-shortening
2-baking spray (with flour)
3-baking spray (without flour)
4-cake release (by wilton)

Excellent post! You’re so creative!

By: Randy

Randy — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:14:30 +0000

Cloves. Ginger (ground and crystallized). Nutmeg. Raisins (dark and golden). Molasses. Dutch-process cocoa. High-cocoa bar chocolate (chips don’t melt well).

Powdered sugar and confectioner’s sugar ARE NOT identical – confectioner’s sugar has about 5% cornstarch, whereas powdered (10X) sugar is pure.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:02:43 +0000

Angie, Yes, the Lock n’ Lock boxes that I use will hold an entire 5 lb bag of flour or sugar. I use the 16.75-cup ones:

http://www.organize.com/16cupsquare.html

I just love Lock n’ Lock! Keeps everything so fresh and nicely organized.

By: pigpigscorner

pigpigscorner — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:02:42 +0000

Glad to say that I have everything except for the cornmeal. I happened to have bags of nuts, cream of tartar…

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:00:35 +0000

Jen – I keep my brown sugar in the Lock n’ Lock 5 cup square containers. It fits one “regular” size bag of brown sugar perfectly!

http://www.organize.com/5cupsquare.html

By: Michele

Michele — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:55:22 +0000

What a helpful post! I’m actually in shock because I’m not a baker but I have everything except for the corn syrup. Not bad for a non baker, huh? LOL